Why drive to an art gallery to view local artwork when you can enjoy the same experience at home? Johnny Peck, former Virginia Tech student and CEO of Slip Case Media, wanted to provide the Blacksburg community with an alternative way to experience art. After founding Slipcase Media LLC, a company dedicated to re-engineering business processes with software to increase productivity and reduce costs, Peck decided to use his technological knowledge to create an online art gallery called ?The Verity Project.?
During an interview, Peck explained that he ?wanted to find another way to explore and display information through the Internet.? The website (www.verityproject.com) has been up and running since last November.
The online gallery provides Blacksburg residents with a way to view and purchase the work of local artists without having to visit a gallery. Local artists are able to create an online portfolio by submitting digital photos of their work and by providing a brief autobiography to give the online viewers an idea of what inspires their artwork. Francis Dayton, a senior fine arts major who is also very involved with the project, described the type of artists they want to be featured on the site as ?ones that explore modern focus and are passionate about their work.?
By visiting the online art gallery, Blacksburg residents are able to experience artwork in an innovative way. The website uses extremely advanced technology, and is constantly being updated to give the viewers a unique online experience. Their graphic designer, Mark Herbert, strives to keep the site interesting and full of entertaining graphics. The atypical software used makes the site accessible to anyone; not many websites use the same type of open source that this one uses.
In addition, the site uses a ground-breaking interface called a Rich Internet Application (RIA). RIA eliminates the need for page refresh, making the website easier to navigate. Action-message format (AMF), a rare technique for delivering data from the server to the computer, is an advanced method that speeds up content delivery and allows the site to work more efficiently.
By using high caliber software, Peck said, ?the website is prepared to grow and evolve quickly and in any possible direction we see fit. It is prepared for the growth in content and features, [so] we can focus our attention on the soul of the project rather than on the technological workings.?
Peck?s background with Slipcase Media LLC allowed him to create both a reliable and original online gallery. He has made it possible for people to view and purchase artwork from their homes and for artists to display and make a profit from their work.
Peck summed up his reason for creating the gallery by saying, ?I enjoy providing people in my community with an alternative way to experience art, and am glad I can provide artists with a way to display their art free of charge.?
To view the work of local artists or to submit artwork, visit the online art gallery at www.verityproject.com.